Energy Vocabulary Week 1

Energy The ability to do work or cause change. (Work – the movement of an object through a distance).

Kinetic Energy Energy resulting from the motion of an object. The amount of kinetic energy an object has is determined by the mass and speed (velocity) of the object.

Potential Energy This is stored energy. An object has potential energy because of its position or composition. Ex: A bike on top of a hill.

Energy Transformation Energy can be transformed (changed) from one form to another. EX: Flipping a switch to turn on a light.

Mechanical Energy The energy associated with the motion of an object. EX: Tossing a ball in the air.

Elastic Potential Energy Stored as a result of deformation of an elastic object, such as the stretching of a spring.

Gravitational Potential Energy Energy an object possesses because of its position in a gravitational field.

Friction A force that opposes the motion of an object. Friction is present when two objects are in contact with one another.

Joule The standard unit of work or energy in the International System of measurements (SI), equal to the work done by a force of one newton when its point of application moves through a distance of one meter in the direction of the force: equivalent to 10 7 ergs and one watt-second. EX: One joule is equal to the work it takes to make a watt of power for a second, or to move a body one meter with a one-Newton force. In physics, it's common to talk about joules of energy — one example used to illustrate a joule is lifting an apple, which weighs about one Newton.